The Top Ten Fight Scenes of All Time
Filed under: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Newsstand, Lists
In a previous post, I detailed my fondness for old school Kung-Fu films like Enter the Dragon and The 36th Chamber or Shaolin; guys beating the crap out of each other -- complete with over-done sound effects and out-of-sync dialog -- and other mayhem of that nature. The point of the previous post -- other than to thrill you with my knowledge of Los Angeles TV history -- was to highlight a great list of the top ten mano-a-mano fight scenes of all time. Well, for those of you who loved the last post (all twelve or so of you judging from the number of comments) you're in luck because I'm back with yet another list. This time around its the top ten fight scenes of all time. I know this list may sound similar to the last one but bear with me: While the last one dealt with one man against another, this new list deals with larger numbers of people, or groups, engaged in combat. Or, as the rules for the list state over at the site that compiled it: "It has to be individuals or a group fighting in (reasonably) close quarters, so no vehicle combat (Mad Max 2), no space battles (Return of the Jedi) and no epic warfare or sieges (The Return of the King)." Sounds simple enough, right? Fortunately, it is.
Some of the fights highlighted on this list include Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan vs Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace, the corridor fight in Chan wook-Park's Oldboy -- wherein our hero takes out a bunch of baddies all while confined to a narrow corridor -- and one of my personal favorites: the Girl Scout fight in Airplane -- brutal and hilarious at the same time. At the number one spot they put Arnold vs The Predator in Predator. Now, I like Predator but I question putting it at number one. Looking at the list I think I would put the scene from Phantom Menace near or at the top. It's an exciting scene that sets the stage for Obi-Wan's development as a Jedi and a man. On top of that, it showcases some amazing fight choreography and swordplay. It's an outstanding scene in a not-so-great movie that I think deserves to be recognized.
What's your favorite movie fight scene?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
1-25-2007 @ 5:37PM
kevina said...
The final fight in Jacky chan's Drunken Master II!!
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1-25-2007 @ 5:23PM
spanklin said...
The prolonged late night fist fight between Greogory Peck and Charlton Heston while everyone else is sleeping on the ranch in "The Big Country" (1958) and the final battle between Jet Li and the Japanese General "Supreme Killer" Fujita in "Fist of Legend" (1994).
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1-25-2007 @ 5:27PM
Chanda said...
Quint and the shark in "Jaws."
Honorable mention: Adam Sandler v. Bob Barker in "Happy Gilmore."
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1-25-2007 @ 5:39PM
Sean http://www.semanticdrift.com said...
I always really liked the fight that John Cusack has in Grosse Point Blank. In the hallway of his old high school, he has pretty decent brawl with a LaPoubelle, an assassin sent after him. I couldn't agree more about the Episode I fight. In fact, I think it was the only redeeming quality of the film. Had Old George expanded that fight scene to two hours and stopped cutting to the stupid Anakin In Space side plot, the movie would have been vastly improved.
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1-25-2007 @ 6:06PM
Sean http://www.semanticdrift.com said...
I really like the "Reaver Siege" scene at the end of Firefly, where they have to make a last stand as waves of cannibal space crazies swarm over them. I couldn't agree more about the Episode I fight. In fact, I think it was the only redeeming quality of the film. Had Old George expanded that fight scene to two hours and stopped cutting to the stupid Anakin In Space side plot, the movie would have been vastly improved.
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1-25-2007 @ 6:26PM
Kevin Ahearn said...
You mean nobody saw Kirk Douglas and Woodie Strode battle it out in SPARTACUS?
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1-25-2007 @ 6:34PM
mayorjimmy said...
I gotta throw in the Chateau fight scene from Matrix Reloaded. Everything about that fight was cool. The music, the moves, the flying around.... total awesomeness.
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1-25-2007 @ 7:35PM
kasei said...
he Phantom Menace was ranked as having one of the top fight secenes? You've got to be kidding me! It was awful, just like all of the Star War series fight scenes. The next time they should hire someone who knows a real style of sword fighting and not some made up one.
All of the fight scenes in Jet Li's last movie Fearless were great, especially the weapon work.
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1-25-2007 @ 8:19PM
Tom Triman said...
My favorite on-screen fight is the original, 1933 KING KONG's battle between Kong and the Tyrannosaurus.
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1-25-2007 @ 9:00PM
Book Fan said...
Yeah Phantom Menace, no question-- you can just smell the Midichloreans coming off the screen.
For an actual fight scene, look to They Live and Rowdy Roddy Piper. 10 minutes of toe-to-toe classic brawling action.
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1-25-2007 @ 9:00PM
Michael said...
Not to take anything away from the original 1933 version but I would also have to add the much more recent King Kong version where Kong takes on three T-Rex at once. What a brilliant CGI masterpiece! Simply breathtaking!
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1-26-2007 @ 2:19AM
matthew m. barnes said...
Kill Bill... pretty much every fight scene... amazing.
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1-26-2007 @ 5:50PM
Pac said...
Patricia Arquette and James Gandolfini, in True Romance.
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1-26-2007 @ 9:48AM
Jenn said...
I can't believe they left out the fight at the end of "The Quiet Man" between John Wayne and Victor McLaglen. If you've never seen this little gem of a movie, watch it this St. Patty's Day.
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1-26-2007 @ 10:09AM
Patrick said...
I'd have to add something from Kill Bill as well. Probably the fight in the trailer with Darryl Hannah's character. It's just so vicious.
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1-26-2007 @ 11:48PM
RagtimePianist said...
That list needs way more Tony Jaa. The capoeria fighter in The Protector was incredible, and nearly any of the fight scenes from Ong-Bak would fit that list rather well.
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1-26-2007 @ 10:24AM
Pop said...
I can't believe no one remembers Roddy Piper's alley fight scene in "They Live". Special effects are neat, but if you want raw fist-to-fist,long-lasting bloody brawling, this one's for you. Check it out.
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1-26-2007 @ 11:17AM
Caro said...
I really like the sword fight between Achilles & Hector in Troy. It is beauty in motion.
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1-26-2007 @ 11:35AM
Caro said...
The fight scene between Achilles & Hector in Troy. Beauty in motion!
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1-26-2007 @ 12:46PM
Geets said...
The best fight scene
Steve McQueen in "Solider In The Rain" bar fight
runner up
Charles Bronson - "Hard Times" in the cage
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